During the school year, it can be hard to cram in enough time for textbooks, let alone time to read for enjoyment. The semester is coming to a fast close, and here are my favorite books to totally and completely loose myself in once I can ditch the flashcards.
“Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas”
Hunter S. Thompson
This book is so incredibly, blatantly and stoutly written that I feel a wee bit of a contact high after every chapter. Thompson writes this roman á clef, a work of fiction rooted in autobiographical events, with a bloody pen and recounts his tales of psychedelics, all things hallucinogenic and the blurred line between what is real and what stems from Thompson’s imagination. Love it.
“You Suck: A Love Story”
Christopher Moore
I’ll put it blatantly, I’m so not a “Twi-hard.” In fact, I’m not even a fan of the “Twilight” empire at all — and that’s exactly why I picked up Moore’s novel. While it’s not quite the Bella-and-Edward-parody I was expecting, it’s still a hilarious insight into the lives of two San Franciscan vampires.
“Influence”
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen
Plastered with Polaroid snapshots, fashion spreads and quirky quotes from the Olsens, this book is coffee-table brilliance. I love flipping through it when I’m in an artistic rut.
“The Crucible”
Arthur Miller
I first read this in a high school English class and have loved it since. Miller uses a script-format to describe a dramatization of the Salem witch trials of the late 1600s, while truly delving into the McCarthyism and the blacklisting of accused communists. Read it, watch the movie, then read it again.
“A Light in the Attic”
Shel Silverstein
This guy has a direct connection with my funny bone, seriously. I used to memorize the verses of his poems and recite them during dinnertime performances for my family. This book is awesome, and so were my performances.